1892 Drinks of the world

DRINKS.

68

But even now all is not over, for during this period a sediment, resulting from the fermentation of the wine, has been deposited, which must be removed before the wine is ready for consumption ; and very troublesome work it is to get rid of this sediment. The^ bottles are placed in a slanting direction with the necks downward, and the angle of inclination is altered from time to time till they stand almost perpendicular, whilst every time the position is changed, the bottle is sharply twisted round, so that the sediment may not cling to the sides. Finally, the deposit collects in a ball in the neck of the bottle, from whence it is "dis- gorged "^ — literally blown out — when the original cork is removed. A temporary stopper is then inserted until the liqueur, which is to give the wine its distinc- tive character, dry or sweet, is introduced. This liquor consists of a preparation of the very finest sugar candy, the best Champagne, and the oldest and purest Cognac. The next process is corking, and, as we all know, champagne corks are not as other corks. They are made larger than the vent of the bottle, and are soaked in water, and very often steamed. They are somewhat expensive, the best corks used costing about threepence each ; but it is a very false economy to use common corks, for the gas would escape. The pliant cork is placed in a machine which pinches it and compresses it to the size of the aperture of the bottle, and holds it there till a twenty-pound weight is let dtop, on the principle of a pile-driving hafnmer, and drives the cork in firmly. The powerful leverage used to bring down the edge of the cork for wiring